


The Intersect Between Worlds

by BlueRam



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Naruto
Genre: Crossover, Gen, M/M, Pre-Slash, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-28
Updated: 2016-11-28
Packaged: 2018-09-02 20:06:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8681656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueRam/pseuds/BlueRam
Summary: There are endless possibilities, if only one looks beyond the known concepts of our universe. Many are afraid, but there are those who will traverse the great divide, even if only for our survival. Survival is human nature...so is guilt, born from the sacrifices we make. There is but one question...what does one do should they venture the great divide? Fall or survive?





	

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Naruto.**

**Warning: This fic is set in a somewhat alternative universe, and is pre-slash, depending on your interpretations.**

* * *

"One would think our country far away from the ravages of war, as if it knocked idly at our door and we could simply send it on its way." So much was said, and in the same breath left unsaid when that voice spoke. A deep gravelly voice that reflected the gained wisdom, stained with hidden contempt and resentment. A one-sided rivalry that he would never acknowledge, for what purpose did it serve? There were far greater things to consider than petty squabbles of the past, or smug victory for overcoming the invisible foe. He knew this well…Danzo for all his war rationality, knew this even more.

Hiruzen did not speak at first, content to stand before the wide windows that overlooked his village. A beautiful sight Konoha was; lush green forest both near and far, sprawling homes and winding streets. Villagers caught up in an air of wonder and joy, voices mingling like the soothing chorus that proved that yes, yes they were alive. And the crisp scent that spelt all that the land of fire was, carried upon the winds, clean…pure…a calmness he would see prosper time and time again, for the will of fire that was lit in his heart by the Hokages that came before him.

"Beautiful isn't it? This new found peace, as if nothing could break its delicate thread…this is what our predecessors have always longed for. This peace." Hiruzen didn't hold back his amused smile as he felt Danzo shift beside him, obviously disgruntled, his hands clenched tight as he glared at their village, glared at all it represented.

"You were always a romantic, Hiruzen. One would wonder how a man like you could ever be Hokage… too empathic a heart, too kind a soul." Danzo muttered, his face revealed nothing, no sign of emotion as his brown eyes tracked each and every shinobi that leapt from roof tops, trained in the distance…hid in the shadows.

"You are all the things a leader should not be. A man who rules by the song of his heart, instead of the will of his mind." Danzo almost hissed, the corner of his eyes crinkling in frustration as he spared his friend—were they even friends still? —a scornful glance, hidden within its depth a never ending plea for the man to see reason.

"It is without no loss of effort on your part that I still stand here. Even when you would dare conspire to strike me down…a fool maybe, for why yet do you still stand before me, with your life no less?" Hiruzen's words were like poisoned honey, sweet and calm…but the edge of something dark and treacherous should one dare to fall into the embrace of its temptation. There was a tension in the air, on both their parts or only that of Danzo… no onlooker would be able to tell. They were both still, Hiruzen's aged hands gently tracing along the lines of the window pane, a sudden gust of wind causing his robes to flutter, and Danzo to shift ever so slightly.

"I resent your accusations, Hiruzen," Danzo muttered, eyes trained on the unreadable visage of the third Hokage. For all he preached that the man followed his heart like a blind fool, that he would never see Konoha rise to reign in a glorious future, he couldn't decipher the man that stood so silently beside him, eyes trained on something in the far distance that he himself would never be privy to.

"Resent… of course. I am no fool Danzo, for all that you paint me one. This village will not remain standing by the grace of my heart alone, it's the reason I allowed you your chance to prove yourself, and build ROOT. It's why I haven't shut you down, despite sound advice." Hiruzen muttered with a frown, eyes narrowing as he stared out at the unseen before he silently turned away from the window to once more sit behind his desk.

"The fact remains that for all I preach peace, war will always be that one factor that slyly pushes at our borders, lying in wait until a day we prove weak. This is not something that I can stand by and simply allow." Hiruzen, stared unflinchingly into Danzo's eyes, at one point the obvious curiosity in brown eyes would have brought him great amusement. As it were, this was not a time for such frivolous thoughts.

"And what does the Hokage propose, was it not he that preached we bend our heads like sheep and see nations outgrow our own?" Danzos' drawl was full of mockery, scorn as his hands clenched. Images of so many efforts gone to waste because of this man and his weak heart, experiments that would see them a village of enhanced weapons, shinobi… whatever one would wish to call them. How the man who would not act to have the sharingan completely under their control… the opportunity ever so bright with the whisper of treason in the air and a young man from the very clan whose loyalty was ever so unwavering.

"Iwa dare stands against us, show us weak and mock our name. They seek to build themselves the supreme leaders in the shinobi nation, and we sit back twiddling our thumbs like ignorant fools! So tell me, _Hokage_ , what do _you_ propose?"

Hiruzen said nothing, eyes still, fierce…almost cold—no, never cold—the will of fire burnt brightly. The will of fire…that was so different, yet the same for every which man and woman that would claim themselves the spine of Konohagakure.

"Tell me, Danzo…what do you know of the other planes and what happens should they be touched by the Sekai no kuchiku-kan?" The silence was consuming, a stunned air that would not go away as Danzo stared down at his so called friend as if he were mad. He must be mad! Was this what they had come to?! Mere—

"Old wives tales, and utter stupidity! Sekai no kuchiku-kan does not exist, no more than wild tales of Madara Uchiha's continued existence after the Valley of the End!" Danzo spat, face twisted in a disgusted snarl as he swiftly turned away from the man. Weak! Hiruzen was weak, and he would see Konoha fall before her time! He would be the better leader, he saw reason…Tobirama for all the man was a strategist and intellectual…he had chosen wrong!

"And even if these tales were true, what benefit could Konoha possibly gain from the deadly effects of Sekai no kuchiku-kan?" Danzo muttered, refusing to look at the foolish man, refusing to even listen to strange lingering doubt as he watched Orochimaru amble through the crowds below. The villagers gave the man a wide berth, eyes suspicious and full of scorn when he was not surrounded by the other two of his team. Man would scorn and vilify what they did not understand…he had learned that lesson long ago, and as those golden eyes connected with his own… he prayed that Hiruzen would remain the blind fool he still was. Too much was at stake…

"New blood…a wonderful thing. Something that proved a great asset as our village first took root and was built by the hand of Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha. There are strange whispers from Iwa…intriguing whispers… I wonder if they prove true." Hiruzen spoke lightly, as if his thoughts were mere strays on the wind as he diligently began his paperwork.

"What did you do?" Danzo frowned, he was not fooled by the man's light tone…as if so suddenly whatever point he had brought up was now irrelevant. It was unfortunate how often he had allow this man to slip from his ever observing gaze because of his sheer contempt for him. They played a dangerous game…no, _he_ played a dangerous game. How foolish of him it would be to think he was the only one playing shogi…that he alone moved across the board to attain the ultimate victory.

Hiruzen graced him with a sharp gaze, a shadow of a smirk at the edge of his lips a brush dipped in ink hovering over a document sent by their useless Daimyo.

"Do? Sekai no kuchiku-kan is but an old wives' tale, you said so yourself. What is there to be done?" He smiled, his aged face to serene, wrinkles crinkling painting a mask of fragility that they both knew the man was not. No, the God of Shinobi for how soft his heart was, he was far from fragile.

"You spoke of whispers from Iwa. They have made their move then, they will come after us, is that it?" Danzo pushed on, irritated when the damn man would dare smile at him, almost dismissive as he returned to his paperwork.

"The war hawk has a fine spy network. He would know if Iwa dear moved against us, even as he preaches war at our doors and drive the fear of the Shinigami within the hearts of shinobi."

Danzo tsked at the comment, hands clenching as he turned away from the infuriating man. It was the truth, he would have known…yet as loathe as he was to admit it, he knew Hiruzen's own network covered much further ground than his own could ever hope to attain. Iwa was strangely still, but he knew war would soon knock at their doors! The power would shift and Konoha would—!

"Hatake…the last of his clan, Kakashi Hatake. As elusive as he ever is, he has been strangely absent from within our village walls… curious that." Brown eyes never wavered as they assessed to unaffected Kage. Hiruzen merely folded his hands under his chin…that infuriating half smile playing at his lips as he stared unwaveringly into the eyes of a man that was…perhaps was still his best friend.

"Yes, truly something of great…intrigue." Danzo didn't respond to that, glaring lightly before he turned to leave the suffocating air of the Kage's office. Hiruzen dear paly him the fool! He didn't get far when the light voice of the man interrupted him, his back stiffening before he left as silently as he had come.

"A blind man, speaks no evil…upon his lips the actions of so many does not spill. Why would it? But should the blind man be forced to see, forced to open blood stained lips…what then would his actions be?"

A warning, would he heed would only be proven by what the future might bring.

* * *

"You betrayed us, Harry! It's because you betrayed us, betrayed them…I can never forgive you for that!" Hermione sobbed, arms held tight around her body as she tried desperately to keep it all in, keep her mouth shut. Silence surrounded them, only the gentle rustle of leaves, a whooshing sound in the damp thick forest they stood. It was cold, terribly cold…it bit into her skin and her teeth chattered, her tears felt like ice pricks down soft cheeks… red and harsh as if she were in the midst of London weather.

But this wasn't London was it? No…it wasn't, it hadn't been for some time now. Months, years…maybe more. It all changed, changed by the boy…no man that was her friend, the man that her mind whispered had betrayed them…betrayed her for putting them in a position like this. It was irrational, and her heart ached whenever that poisonous voice would hiss in her ear, taint her mind…and fight her control. Her heart ached, when Harry…precious Harry wouldn't defend himself, when he would allow her to abuse him…as if he deserved it.

Even now…he was silent. So different yet very much the same person he had been when London was their reality and other worlds a mere concept. As it were, standing before her, his hair pulled tight in a high ponytail that swung listlessly in the wind, his bangs streaked with silver grey, the same grey that had woven itself among dark locks… it was London that was the concept and another world their reality. She hated him for it, for bringing them here, bringing Ron here and leaving so many behind…she hated him because the thoughts were irrational, and she couldn't help the stinging tears that spelt her selfishness…hated him because just like now he only smiled. An almost unnoticeable tilt of dusky pink lips, spelling nothing and everything at the same time, the steady stare, emerald eyes with those strange sharp markings around his eyes, lavender or maybe even lighter. Then the damnable glitter of that head band on his forehead, his shackle because of her foolishness, a reminder how her need to control everything had got them in this mess.

Ron stood silently leant against the shadowed bark of a tree, his red hair so warm and fiery, a remembrance of their home that they were so cruelly dragged from. He looked uncomfortable, unsure as his blue eyes flickered from Hermione to Harry then at his sandal covered feet.

"Hermione…it's not—he—isn't that unfa—" He struggled to defend one over the other. Both Hermione and Harry were his best friends…, both were hurting, but it was Hermione that was twisting the blade. He struggled, because he blamed Harry too, then felt like the worse human being on the planet for ever thinking it. The thought shouldn't have ever been an idea in his mind, Harry didn't do this; he didn't ask for them to be ripped away from their world with the tortured screams of their family…his family at their back. Self-preservation…it was a Slytherin thing he would say, that it only meant that you were a coward…snakes were damn cowards…but—

Harry wasn't a coward, he saw what would happen in that moment and just acted—purely Gryffindor—pulled those closest to him and made a run for survival—purely Slytherin.

"Say something, Harry! Don't just stand there!" Hermione shouted, her brown eyes pained as she wiped furiously at her face, stepping forward as if to grab unto the man's arm, to make him talk and own up to his betrayal.

"Hermione! Sto—!" Ron began, pulling her back by the sleeves of her coat but she wouldn't have it. She pushed him away furiously, the taller man stumbling back for a second as she stood firm with her eyes trained on Harry's still back.

"I never thought I would see the day you would act the coward, Harry! No-I'm wrong, you've been the coward since the day you stopped fighting against a madman, stopped listening to Dumbled—"

"And what were you Hermione! You call me coward, but what were you when you ran to Dumbledore with your tail between your legs, planned some here brain scheme to see Tom Riddle fall and hundreds of innocence dead in the crossfire!" Harry shouted, the sad smile he had worn, a mask for the turbulent emotions that tore at his chest, slipping away from his face. He was tired of this! Tired of her blame, this wasn't his fault! It had never been, and it would never be!

"Harry, don't!" Ron moved to intervene, heart pounding as he watched his best friends glare with so much hatred in that moment, and even then…so much hurt in Harry's eyes. His emerald green eyes, and those strange pale lavender markings that resembled the snake man he had seen in what he come to know as a bingo book. The man… Orochimaru, his markings were darker, but both he and his friend shared that same eerily beautiful skin.

"No, Ron! Let him speak, let him prove to me exactly how far he has fallen!" Hermione raged, stepping forward, evading Ron's hold yet again. She was going to cry, she wanted to cry…but never in front of him, not in front of Harry. Harry that was so unrecognizable, with his new marks that had so suddenly…no, it wasn't sudden. It was a gradual thing, the appearance of those marks, how his gaze favoured that of a snake, a despicable snake like the very same man Harry would not fight against! The same man that Harry saw become his—!

"Hermione! You're way out of line!" Ron shouted angrily, stepping in between them. He had stayed out of it long enough, Harry didn't deserve this! Yes, Merlin, it hurt that he only saved them! Merlin new it hurt! But what the hell could Harry have done, he could only save them…he had tried to warn people and they turned up their noses, Hermione herself had turned a blind eye. She didn't have the right to do this! It was no excuse her actions, even if she was hurting!

"How can you defend him?! You lost Luna, Ron! He took Luna away from you, just like he took my Rose away! He took my Rose away!" Hermione shouted, tears finally streaming down her face as she wrapped her arms tightly around her. There she said it, the reason for the hate, for stupid misplaced emotions. She didn't even move when Ron flinched as if struck, his throat bobbing anxiously as his fist clenched tight.

"Hermione—I—" Harry's voice trembled for a second, his hand halfway to reaching out before he thought better of it. He swallowed the lump that formed in his throat, looking down at his feet, before he took a steady breath and turned his back to them again. Overhead he could sense if only faintly the presence that watched them carefully, the weight of the Iwa head band stirring anger and resentment, even in light of Hermione's pain. She had gotten them in this mess, she knew best, her desperate attempts to get back to—she had sealed their fates, playing her hand at a politics none of them understood. Deceit had looked her right in the face and she had played all the cards they had the moment he looked away, allowed Iwa to capture the queen on the chess board.

"I'm sorry, for Rose…for Luna and for—I'm not sorry for what I did. Call me a snake, a turn coat or Dumbledore's mistake…I did what I could in that moment, I acted…and now we are here. Chained by your decisions before we could even hope to understand where here was." Harry whispered, a touch of anger behind every word, yet so much tiredness. Without a word he moved to get away from them, Hermione more so than Ron. She was angry, angry for some time now and hurt. He could understand, he took her abuse because he felt guilt, guilt because his actions saw to it that she miscarried. He never expected it, he hadn't thought, and now the only thing she had cherished, her baby, the last reminder of her lover who had died in a muggle war was gone.

Because of him…only because of him and his impulse. There was no shame for the sting of tears he felt, even if he wouldn't let them fall…at least not there, where Iwa trailed and watched his every step as he lost himself in the thick foliage of this strange forest so far from Iwagakure.

* * *

"I never expected this… I thought…" Hiruzen hesitated, regret clear on his face as he almost refuse to look at his student, the one he cared for over any other as much as he claimed he had no favourites. The student he had watched walk a dark path, tipping dangerously over the edge of no return, forever to be lost in an abyss that even his closest friends would turn their backs. Would rather distance themselves than watch him fall to his demise. Orochimaru, he had secretly harboured the thought the man would become his greatest regret, he knew Danzo had approached the shinobi, knew that Harry had been recruited within the ranks of the Root division… a move that saw the relationship he had with Jiraiya strained.

"Don't mince your words on my account _Hokage-sama_ , we all know what you think, what Konoha thinks...and Jiraiya." Orochimaru was emotionless, eyes steady on the man that he had seen…still saw as a father figure. The man who would never give up on him like so many others…until he did.

Just like Jiraiya had.

Orochimaru wasn't a man easily understood, a scientific mind so much unused to regular human interactions. He didn't think with his heart, but his mind…a palace of so much knowledge and ideals to see something become better than it ever was. To see something created anew with his gifted hands, this train of thought would make him cross boundaries many would never dare, boundaries that many would vilify him. Yet, they would reap the benefits of his work without a bat of an eye, ignore that by crossing boundaries, he kept Konoha one step above the rest.

"Experiments?" Hiruzen pushed on, taking a seat as he finally looked at his precious student. Orochimaru, had an outward air about him, features so unique, yet beautiful…almost solemn. The man said nothing at first, pushing a lock of hair behind his ear, magatama earrings glittering for a moment. A reminder of the small clan Orochimaru had hailed from, a clan for which he was now the sole survivor… or was that even true?

"You already knew this. Why act so surprised?" Orochimaru sneered, pushing the documents that would unravel Danzo's plans. He didn't know why he had given up the opportunity to explore limits that were so untouchable to him. The chance to understand the workings of human beings and replicate gene mutations such as kekkei genakai. The possibilities were endless, he could—no, he could, but he wouldn't. This path would see him destroyed, lost in the lust of knowledge, become the monster so many proclaimed him to be. There were other ways…or maybe, ways that did not involve the innocent.

"Why would you give up this opportunity, why turn this over to me, instead of going forward with illegal experiments on Konoha's orphans?" Hiruzen narrowed his eyes, he could see that his suspicion had hurt the man. He wouldn't let it show, but the subtle shift of golden eyes was all it took. How many times would he hurt the man because of the path he walked. Neither light nor dark, so different from Tsunade and Jiraiya.

"Does it matter? You already knew. I would be branded traitor, hunted down and executed for my transgressions, my treason." Orochimaru glared, his words bitter to his own tongue as he pulled his wide collar closer to his neck. The night air was not particularly forgiving as much as the Land of Fire was known for its summer weather.

"Self-preservation …I had thought—it matters not. I am glad you came Orochimaru, that you did the right thing…Jiraiya would be—"

"I don't care what Jiraiya thinks!" Orochimaru hissed, losing his composure for a second. Around them the Anbu who lay in wait shifted nervously, ready to act should the man prove an active threat. The key word was active, for the man would always be a threat.

Hiruzen frowned, Orochimaru refused to look at him, hands clenched tight as he glared out at the village, beautiful sight, with the full moon high in the sky. Even now, a bustling energy that would bring joy to anyone who would dare to enter.

"You loved him. He betrayed your trust, how fragile your heart must truly be…" Hiruzen looked on saddened, what a mess his team had become. His words were not disputed, Orochimaru refusing to say a word as he kept his gaze trained on the village before he clenched his hands once more.

"There are rumours…a man that bears the marking of my clan that seem so similar to myself. It is impossible…I know this, he is not my blood…but…" Orochimaru began softly, shoulders slumped, weary from a battle he had never realised he had fought for all his life. A battle that grew even more intense with the death of his parents…his father and precious mother.

"Ah, so that is the reason. One man, a promise of hope has stilled your hands, pulled you back from the boundaries to hover along the lines once more." Hiruzen smiled softly, before standing. Orochimaru watched the man carefully, weary of what his next move would be. Was it foolish of him, to drop everything he had planned, submit to Hiruzen if only a moment for the small chance that…he could have a family once more?

"Sekai no kuchiku-kan, Orochimaru. For the second time in the span of three millennia, people have escaped…they made their way here. They hold great possibilities for our village...new blood. There is a man that hold traits alarmingly similar to your own…a man though far different, very much like yourself." Hiruzen's vice though gruff, was soft...understanding as he placed a wrinkled hand on the shinobi's shoulders.

"My contact says he is an innovative mind this man, perhaps together you both could achieve great things." There was something odd in Orochimaru's eyes…a strange vulnerability, it must have been a trick of the light…but it was as if fresh tears glittered in beautiful gold.

"Other worlds…I wonder, would he ever accept. A family…the hope of family on the whispered words of an old wives' tale… Sekai no kuchiku-kan." Orochimaru whispered, a soft smile on his lips as he turned to leave only to stop short in momentary confusion at the sight of Ibiki Morino casually leant against the doors.

"You said you wouldn't take long." The man muttered, to any other he would seem cold…and perhaps it was, but Orochimaru had slowly begun to understand the man who so strangely inserted himself in his life was not all that he seemed to be.

"And I didn't." Orochimaru sniffed in disdain, though it was obviously not heart felt, the man following dutiful behind the snake Sanin with an almost soft smile.

Hiruzen's eyes widened slightly at the strange scene before a light laugh escaped him. Didn't care what Jiraiya thought indeed, it was an assumption but it would seem Ibiki may just find himself responsible for such a fragile heart. He wondered if the man had what it took to truly capture a man like Orochimaru.

Sighing, he trained his eyes to a distance beyond the village, "Harry of the other world…I wonder if you will accept it."

* * *

Harry's breath hitched as he desperately tried to control his breathing. It was useless, like a fool tears brimmed at the edge of his eyes. Like a fool, yes but he would never let them fall, show such weakness because of biting words for actions he had taken to save their lives.

 _Yet doom, the rest of the wizarding world_ his traitorous mind whispered. Here he could allow himself to break, he had lost his watchers, the Iwa-nin …they thought because he was seemingly civilian he would never escape their dutiful gaze. What arrogant fools! He wouldn't be found if he did not wish it, he could escape if not for his unwavering loyalty to Ron and Hermione. It was a trait of his that not even Tom Riddle could erase…his loyalty. Behind him the snap of a twig echoed, yet it brought no fear. He knew who it was…he would be safe unless he proved himself enemy to the shinobi…at least that was what he gathered from their now frequent meetings.

"Why do you allow her to abuse you, why not fight back?" The shinobi revealed himself from the shadows wolf carved clay mask hiding his face, though his silver hair was distinct. Standing at odd angles that seemed to still be attractive, rather than a terrible mess.

Kakashi Hatake…Anbu operative, Konohagakure.

"Why do you care?" Harry muttered bitterly, barely hiding the flinch as the shinobi sat beside him, feet dangling over the edge of the still lake he had found. Their meeting place was…it was theirs…that's all he could truly say. It wasn't exceptionally beautiful, a wide lake spanned a distance that not even Harry could tell, wild flowers peeking from tall blades of grass, the trees towering around them like a sacred cavern, the light of moon a shy touch upon their skins.

"I'm told caring is something friends do." Kakashi supplied simply, not for the first time, Harry wondered what his face would look like under that mask. What truth would lay bare upon his face, would this façade of friendship easily crumble to dust…friendship.

Perhaps he had no right to judge Hermione her decisions, for here he was... an asset to Iwa, though they had yet to ask anything of him, speaking so casually to a shinobi that was the sworn enemy of Iwagakure… a shinobi of Konohagakure.

"I am Iwa scum, the same ninja that saw your friend dead because he was in the way. I am your mission and nothing else, you are Anbu…you don't…" Harry stopped in his tracks, if he had dared to utter those words, he would have been needlessly cruel. Kakashi did not deserve his bitter tirade, did not deserve his baggage because he couldn't handle the rejection of his friend…his once sister.

Beside him, Kakashi's hands clenched, before slowly releasing. Around them, crickets chirped loudly, and what sounded like a bird fluttered above.

"Is that what you think…that you are a mere mission? That you are shinobi, Iwa scum?" There was something odd in Kakashi's voice, anger perhaps…but why would he feel anger for his careless statement. Harry almost jumped when a gloved hand rested above his own, thumb caressing his soft skin. The feeling was odd, something he couldn't quite comprehend as he tried desperately to catch Kakashi's gaze, but the man stubbornly stared ahead.

"Kakashi?" Harry ventured hesitantly as he bit his lip nervously before releasing a heavy sigh. Without a word he pulled his hand form the man's hold, staring ahead at the rippling lake.

"I let her do it... because I feel guilty. It's my fault that her baby died…it's my fault Ron will never be with Luna again. Yet, at times I don't feel guilt…I did what I did to save us, at the behest of my mentor…I left my world behind." Harry muttered, a frown on his face as he brought his knees up to his chest, his long hair fluttering around him even in its ponytail.

"Your leader…he assures me that he can—where's the proof. I'll decide tonight if you give me the solid proof!" Harry's emerald eyes were ice cold, serious because this decision he would make tonight would break his heart, but it would set Hermione free…set Ron free should he decide to take the leap himself. Never mind that the freedom…the freedom would be false, for the truth stared him in the face when he had brought them to this world.

Kakashi watched the strange man for a moment, not saying a word. He was beautiful, not in the traditional way…but in the outwardly way that was so similar to the snake sanin of his own village. Even the markings of his eyes were the same, appearing over the span of time that he had conversed with this man. He was a mission at first, Saritobi-sama bid him find this man…a man from another world that rode the wings of Sekai no kuchiku-kan. Held in the grasp of Iwa, the ninja that had cut Obito's life short, which revealed his foolishness, the thought that teamwork was but useless. That arrogance had cost him…his friend dead, and his eyes implanted in his own, a constant reminder.

Harry, a name he couldn't quite pronounce then, was not a broken man. Far from it, he was cold, then so exceedingly warm…a conundrum of emotions that had unexpectedly drawn him in. The more he met this man, convinced him that to return with him to Konoha on his leader's behalf, the more that void within him filled. It wasn't anything as cliché as love, or even attraction, though Harry was beautiful. It was…an odd friendship, a different perspective than his fellow shinobi and village men alike, the ones who whispered cruelly behind his back, _Friend-killer Kakashi_ for his role in Rin's death. The words held no meaning to him…yet they isolated him from his peers.

"Kakashi?" Harry frowned, hand hovering hesitantly over the uniquely painted Anbu mask before he let it drop as the man shifted. Kakashi was strange…made him feel strange things… like he wanted to be a part of the man's life…walk on the lonely path that he seemed to traverse without a care. A thought he would let die for their sheer ridiculousness. How odd the Elemental Nations were…that's what Tom had called it, as he forced him to learn a language so strange, both in speech patterns and writing. Lessons he had diligently taught Ron who strangely proved an enthused student. Hermione…she took to it well, yet—their relationship was so complicated—became complicated the moment he had chosen Tom Riddle over Dumbledore.

Kakashi silently pulled a scroll from his the pockets of his Anbu uniform, silently handing it over to the cautious man.

"Hokage-sama believes this will be enough proof…Iwa cannot offer you this. This is your chance—the chance of freedom for your friends." Kakashi amended, head tilted slightly in curiosity as he watched the widening of jade eyes, the way muted excitement for the endless possibilities the scroll held. He should have been wary, Harry was terrifyingly similar to Orochimaru; the unholy light in his eyes as he consumed knowledge, sought for more. Would Harry walk the narrow line between wrong and right, like the sanin himself did? For some reason, it didn't truly matter to him.

How odd those thoughts.

Without thought he brushed the stray lock of hair that fell over Harry's eye, tucking it neatly behind the man's ear. Said man looked up with wide eyes, before gently pulling away, suddenly uncomfortable as he closed the scroll that held intricate symbols that resembled seals… but were actual runes from his old world.

"I…this scroll proves true, but what will he want in return. What does he want from a lowly civilian?" Harry narrowed his eyes, the stir of his magic frightening even to himself as it rushed underneath his skin. He was not defenceless, he may not be ninja, even if he wore the headband that marked him as such, he could more than protect himself…Ron more so, a trained combat auror and Hermione, a woman with many talents.

"Agree to parley," Kakashi replied simply, he was first and foremost a shinobi of Konoha, his duty came first.

"Our safety—"

"Is assured." Harry wouldn't know it, but for the first time in many years and amused smirk played at Kakashi's lips as he interrupted the man. He received a glare for his efforts, not that it bothered him as he stood.

"Why would I trust you, trust them?" Harry clenched the scroll tight, flashes of his predicament quite clear, a result of Hermione's foolishness. She had sought out the first base of power in this world she could find, a surprisingly irrational move on her part. Iwa, she had brought their attention upon them. Played their hand, the fact that they had unique traits…magic that ran in their blood. The fact that they with training could become outstanding weapons, that they held knowledge far beyond the Elemental Nation's expectations.

"Isn't it too late for that? After all, you graciously blessed me with your presence for months now, listening to all I have to say as I, in turn, do the same." He was truly amused, Harry could tell. For a moment he wished he could just see this man's face, see if his lips would be stretched in that smirk he could sense, if he would be smug or…blank and cold like Anbu were rumoured to be.

" _Kakashi_!" Harry glared, willing the man to just be straight with him for once.

"Agree to parley, Harry. I personally will assure your safety if that brings you any comfort." Kakashi stretched out his gloved hand, waiting for Harry to take the offer. For a moment he wondered if he would refuse and if he did…could he cut him down mercilessly. Could he rob Harry his life…knowing that some strange bond had formed between them…a bond, he would not admit at the moment that he wished to explore.

Harry frowned for a moment, was he acting the fool once more.

Giver her what she wants Harry, he could almost hear Tom's knowing voice in his head, even as something tight gripped at his heart.

His resolve strengthened as he looked upon the still wolf mask, Kakashi's silver hair fluttering in the wind, his frame towering—had he always been this tall? He took Kakashi's offered hand, the man's strong fingers wrapping around his own. An odd assurance that almost forced a smile from his lips, as the man's warmth all but seeped into his own body. Friend…Kakashi had called him his friend…would that forever be his place in this tentative bond?

How odd these thoughts.

"I agree to parley." And with that Harry sealed his fate, Kakashi's grip tight and unforgiving as their secret place silently bore witness. His grey streaked hair fluttering about him, the lavender marks around his eyes darkening a touch further.

* * *

_Nothing had gone as it should have. Along the way, as he grew from the little helpless boy locked in a dusty cupboard, to a new found wizard, a strange world at the tip of his fingers; something fundamental had begun to change._

_At the age of eleven he walked into this world, head bowed with rose tinted glasses, Hagrid's friendly smile a strange balm to his soul, and the wise headmaster that must have known all, his most admired idol. He learned of his father, how great he had been, how he was betrayed by his friend…learnt of his beautiful mother, whose green eyes he shared. He was but a boy, but the whispers of a war long since ended still echoed in his ear. They looked at him as if he was some saviour, Dumbledore, Hermione who was muggle-born yet still caught up in the intrigue of a blood war. Only Ron, his best friend, had ever acknowledged that he was a regular boy just as anyone else…just a little different for the extraordinary things that seemed to have taken a shining to him._

_At the age of eleven, secrets, lies and schemes saw him painted and prodded to fulfil the role of saviour. Saw him lead to walk a path and prepare for a war that had already ended. For wasn't Voldemort dead, the monster so feared that no one dared speak his name. A man so lost in madness and rage, with no true plan for the wizarding world, but to see its destruction…pay them back for the hand they had dealt him._

**_He has no heart, Harry. A creature so hurt he would see the wizarding world pay recompense for his ill fate_ ** _. Wise words from Dumbledore, or so he thought. After all, their world was fine the way it wasn't it? The laws were just and the system sure…it worked for all that was a wizarding nation…right?_

_Poor young fool…how wrong you were._

_Year two it was of his education, ostracised for the gift of snake tongue for which he knew no source. He was not of the Slytherin line, he had checked, Ron his ever-diligent friend had gone as far as to ask his older brother Bill, how much he knew. It was very little, in this world blood and family was everything and with that mentality came its secrets…the Goblins, they were the source of his true family history. Dumbledore only ever seemed to highlight what many would consider the light path when it involved the Potter family, both old and new._

_Nevertheless, in a strange twist of fate in his isolation, as much as Ron desperately tried to be at his side at all times, to be the buffer between mindless sheep and himself…Hermione had tried too… he had found himself lured to the chamber of secrets. A creepy place, a beautiful place, steeped in ancient history and lore. Wet, and murky with slimy walls but such intricate designs of snake-like tunnels, scale walls…homage to the rarest of basilisk, whose eyes would see you dead from a simple stare._

" _Harry Potter…such a delight that I finally meet you. Dear boy who saw to it my demise." The voice had been whispery, and intense. A shrewd type of voice, filled with ever brimming intelligence…not a trace of madness, not a trace of a true monster. But who were the true monsters? The ones seen…or the ones that you could never quite unravel?_

_Harry at the age of twelve, had been so afraid, his grip on his wand tight, ready to defend himself against…his enemy? Dumbledore had said Voldemort was his enemy right?—but this person, he didn't fit the image the man had painted._

_Before him in the middle of the underground chambers, a strange eerie glow upon his pale skin. Voldemort did not cut the image of the monster the wizarding world cowered before. He was tall and thin, bone structure sharp, exceedingly so with high cheek bones and a strong jaw. He did not appear a day over 40, with the strange sprinkling of true grey about his long brown almost black hair that rested just beyond his shoulder blades._

_He didn't appear a monster, but in no way did he look simply human, with his strange ruby eyes, a dangerous stare lined with those odd wine coloured markings. A deep purple. He favoured a snake…but in an intriguing beautiful way._

" _Voldemort." Harry supplied, eyes never straying from the man that could spell his death. Why wasn't he attacking, why didn't he shriek in the insanity that was expected of him?_

_The man wore a strange smile, Harry didn't understand it, before he turned his back to him, hands folded behind him, wand held loosely as he stared upon the great sculpture that represented Salazar Slytherin, the man's favoured ancestor._

" _Tom…call me Tom, Harry. I believe, we have much to talk about." The man almost whispered, smiling lightly as the young boy cautiously moved to stand beside him, green eyes staring at him with wonder._

_That meeting had opened up a new perspective, his rose tinted glasses were done away it…just as he had literally corrected his own vision. Voldemort had been a mad man, but before he was a mad man, he was a revolutionist. He saw their nation for all the faults it held, the stagnation as the factions divided. Magic was no longer whole, factions though relevant pushing the boundaries to upset Mother Nature's balance. Light versus Dark, wizard versus magical 'beast'. He wanted to change this divide, see their world prosper. The last war—a fault of his then bout of insanity, Horcrux did that to you—was over. It was time that he pursued his original dream._

_Voldemort…no Tom, he wasn't a monster. He was a political revolutionist, he had already begun to make his move within the ministry, in a few years he would see himself put in a place where he would force their world to wake up, stop playing ostrich. Dumbledore, the man saw a war coming, would see his actions as some new strategy for nefarious plots…perhaps he was right, Tom did not claim to be good…but he was not evil either._

" _Be my protégé, Harry. Align yourself with no faction, end your fight and live a life that you want…a normal but extraordinary life" Tom had smiled. Hand held out for him to take. He had hesitated…oh, how he hesitated, staring into ruby eyes…this snake like man…without a thought he took that hand, at the young age of twelve._

_It all came tumbling down after that, the light faction was in an uproar. Who was this new man that so suddenly inserted himself into the political scene? A man that slowly but surely began to turn their world on its head, advocating for magical beast rights, abolishing so many laws the higher in power he became…until the day he sat as the Minister of Magic._

_Tom Marvolo Riddle, usurper…a political danger that had too many allies, within their country and beyond. How many claimed to have the backing of ministers from their cousin nations, other magical nations. Voldemort, Dumbledore whispered, and the tendrils of fear held their hearts like a vice. Voldemort was in the seat of power…and their saviour would lift not a finger to help as the years went by…as the once twelve year old boy became nineteen…then finally twenty-one._

* * *

_He separated himself from Dumbledore, the man rebelled, Hermione along for the ride along with their narrow minded faction. They didn't seem to understand that there was no war to be fought, were unwilling to see how beneficial Tom's rule had become, for every faction that existed. See how slowly but surely, their world rose from the pits of stagnation to truly be magical. Magic…for the first time in many years…was free._

_Hermione would not look at him without the touch of betrayal in her eyes, her hand resting over her flat belly, precious new life growing. He moved on, there was nothing he could do. He defied expectations of old and became a diligent researcher, Tom his ever giving mentor that financed all his ventures, groomed and encourage his curiosity. Harry would be a scientist, not an auror, especially one specialised in heavy combat. Not many were fond of his decisions…except for Ron, who nodded his head and smiled, even when he realised just who their minister was now. Ron who became a combat auror, a proficient one and so often stopped at Harry's abode to make sure that he actually ate, instead of losing himself in the newest obscure literature._

" _It suits you! The library, and your endless enthusiasm for more knowledge…I would have thought this would have been more Hermione's thing." Ron grinned, soft laughter escaping as Harry jumped in surprise at his intrusion. Books were sent scattering across the library floors, and the old biddy librarian of the ministry hissed, ready to ban the ruffians who didn't know how to handle a book._

" _Ron! I told you to stop that! You might be a hot-shot combat auror, doesn't mean you should use your talents to sneak up on me!" Harry mocked scowled, eyes alight with happiness as he quickly secured the fallen books. Ron only grinned, watching as the man tucked his raven locks behind his ear. He must have been influenced by his mentor, for he had never thought Harry one for long hair._

" _All you need is to find some pretty girlfriend now and live a little." Ron continued his previous conversation, flopping down on the oak tables of the library, the librarian was not amused he could tell. His amusement didn't last when he recognised the sudden tension about them. Harry refused to look at him, hands nervously trailing across the spine of some book he couldn't begin to pronounce the name of._

" _Harry?" He ventured cautiously, wondering just what he had said to cause such a reaction. Harry…he wasn't afraid of anyone, much less him._

" _I—a girl—I—I'm not attracted to girls, Ron," Harry spoke softly, swallowing nervously. There he said it, he was gay…had been for a while now, he just never knew how to tell his friend. Ron had never abandoned him, not like Hermione would sometimes do in light of what she termed a higher authority. He was scared that perhaps, this would be that final thing that would see Ron, finally hate him like so many seemed to do._

" _Well, find some handsome bloke and live a little in that case!" Ron grinned, laughing when Harry spun around in shock._

" _Why the doe eyes?! You're gay, not the overlord of all that is evil although your mentor is Voldemort, so that's not saying much!" Ron erupted in laughter, dutifully accepting the annoyed glare Harry shot him before said man boxed him over the head._

" _You bloody toe-rag!" Harry shouted, the relief clear in his voice, green eyes sparkling ever so slightly._

* * *

_They saw it coming, Tom and him…but they knew no one would listen. Not the Light, not the Dark…for who would flee on the wings of old wives' tales, and even then, where would they flee._

" _Over there, upon the horizon…you see how magic crackles…she has become unstable, and no one but us has realised it." Tom spoke, eyes trained at the powerful storm that raged over the seas, lightening terrifying as it cracked like endless whips, the scent of spent energy burning at their noses._

" _You and I know a fraction of the truth that is our world's existence. We are not the only ones." Tom mused, he knew it to be the truth. He had researched alongside the man, there were six worlds, five of which created a pentagram, and at its centre the sixth, the Elemental Nation. It was an odd discovery, six worlds yet…no possible way to cross over to each…to explore. That wasn't the end of it though…there was a threat that they would very well see come to life in nought but a few days. The Destroyer of worlds…a phenomenon that no one understood, that many discounted as fairy tales, for the few that ever survived were branded mad, rambling fools. Every three millennia a random world out of the five that forms the pentagram is swept across by some malevolent energy that would literally destroy the world._

_The first warning would be the sight of three full moons in the sky… the very same moons that now stared them down as they looked over the horizon. Then the turbulent tides, which would continue to rise… take over their lands. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, violent storms and the slow death of plant life. The blind fools of the wizarding world were sure these events were Voldemort's doing._

_Sekai no kuchiku-kan it was called in the Elemental Nations, the one world that was never affected by this phenomenon. How did they know this…people, however, few they were, managed to survive The Destroyer of worlds, managed to record all they had seen, all that would come._

_In three days, the wizarding world would mark yet another third millennium, it was their turn to be destroyed and born anew._

" _Doomed. We are doomed… after all we've done, after all the progress you had made to see wizarding Britain stand tall again!" Harry spoke angrily, it hurt damn it! They would die, and for what! Die because the universe was never something that could be defined and understood._

_Harry's angry thoughts were cut off when Tom so suddenly held out a pendant for him to take. It was a carved rune that defined entrance._

" _This will see you passage to the Elemental Nations…the sixth world. You and two more, only two." Tom's expression was serious, so dark that for a moment Harry wished to step back, instead, he watched as the man placed it in the palm of his hands._

" _Tom?" Harry asked hesitantly, the crack of thunder ominous as a shower of rain burst from the sky._

" _An ancestor of mine travelled from the gates of the sixth world and settled here, with my blood you can cross over to safety and with your power carry along the two closest to you."_

" _What about you?" Harry dreaded the answer, heart thudding painfully in his chest at the almost sad smile he was bestowed._

" _You are my protégé…my legacy, use it well Harry." With the man walked away, brown hair fluttering in the wind, his snake familiar slithering at his feet._

* * *

_The third day came, an almost calm before the storm for how sunny the sky was, how birds chirped and women and men alike lumbered about. He frantically packed all he could, all his research, obscure knowledge from both muggle and magical nations alike. Anything useful, gold…just in case it could be used in the sixth world… a place he knew so little of. He fought tears that burned at his eyes, at the thought of Tom, the ritual he had conducted so it was if Harry was naturally of his blood. Tom would not come…he had been ill for years, an illness Harry knew nothing about, he would have died within a year; the reason why he sought to teach Harry all he could. Politics, magical arts…anything so that he could maintain the change he had ushered among the wizards._

_Harry gasped as the earth shook, the sky set a fire in an unholy glow as screams echoed loud in his ear as the earth split open, a suffocating energy choking the life out of all of them. His heart beat furiously as he sealed away the last of his cargo, running frantically through the halls of the ministry. Shouting—_

" _Ron! Hermione!" At the top of his lungs, he found them and without argument, he grabbed them by their arms, dragged the protesting figures through the department of mysteries, the pendant around his neck aglow with one simple word._

**_Anzen-sei_ **

_It sealed their fate. They were swept away to another world, and at their backs the torturous screams of their fellow wizards, their world falling to destruction. Sekai no kuchiku-kan._

_And only two more…that is what Tom had said, two more. Hermione's unborn child made three. She never survived the crossing._

* * *

"It is what it is. I will secure your friends' passage back to your original world, but in return, you must pledge loyalty to Konhagaukre. You must use your knowledge and gifts to our benefit…we must become your new home." Hiruzen's voice was strong, eyes sharp as she watched Harry who stood ramrod still before him. The woman in his company held desperate eyes, a silent plea to her once best friend, for him to make the sacrifice and take the offer. The other man, hair fiery red showed no emotion, a strong presence as he placed a large hand on Harry's shoulder.

They were surrounded by a silent delegation; Orochimaru, a suspicious and glaring Danzo and Kakashi that stood in the shadows, Anbu mask in place as it always was.

"Harry, please…" Hermione whispered, gently grasping at Harry's sleeves, the man said nothing…simply pulled away from her before placing a scroll atop the Kage's desk.

"You must enter an oath with me, it is binding by blood. Should you betray my trust…?" Harry trailed off. It might have been foolish to threaten the leader of a military faction, but it was calculated. He saw all that he needed to see, the skills Tom taught him would never leave him.

His eyes flittered curiously over to the man that looked so much like Tom…the same bloodline perhaps, the markings around his eyes similar to the ones around Tom's and now his. Around him, the shinobi shifted anxiously, and even through that, he could feel Kakashi's heavy stare upon him.

"I will pledge my allegiance if you show me the same courtesy and accept this small favour…your oath bound by blood." Green eyes were sharp as they bore into Hiruzen's brown. The man was amused he could tell, his eyes flickering to Orochimaru who barely held in a snort.

"How dare—!" Danzo began his angry tirade only to be cut off by the laughing Hiruzen.

"So be it, an oath for your allegiance! Granted…Harry of the other world!"

"You damn fool!" Danzo hissed, hands clenched tight as he made to move forward but stopped in light of Kakashi's subtle threat, hand at his thigh as if to pull a kunai. With a curse Danzo stormed out of the rooms, disgusted at the situation in its entirety. He was surrounded by weak fools, here before them, this foreigner proved that there were other worlds. Proved that he had some unknown power…he and his two friends, and Hriuzen was playing house! There shouldn't have been any negotiations, the man should have been carted off to the interrogation and torture department along with his friends and forced to reveal all he know. Forced to be an asset to their village, while spilling everything he gathered from his time within Iwa's walls.

He couldn't help the scorn at the thought of Orochimaru adding to the collection of fools. The man should have kept his mouth shut, yet he proved himself weak in light of his sensei's possible disapproval. Their actions wouldn't be treason if they added to Konoha's military power. Be that as it may, his time would come…there were still rumbles from the Uchiha…Itachi may just prove a valuable tool should and when the time would come to act.

Harry spared the man a curious glance, eyebrow raised as he ignored Hermione's silent sobs of relief.

"Welcome, Harry. May we forge a prosperous path together, sealed in the promise of new blood."

* * *

"Do you come here often?" Harry whispered, arms folded as he ignored the chilling winds that seeped so deep within his core. Kakashi stood before something he had come to learn was a memorial stone.

"You won't see your friends off? It's today that they will them back to your original world." Kakashi evaded, hands teasing at his Anbu mask even with his back turned to the slighter man.

"Friend…Ron, he wants to stay with me. He made himself a friend in that man you call Ibiki. I think he wants to become an interrogation specialist…you don't need chakra to do that." Harry spoke, voice still soft as he moved to stand beside the towering man. They were close enough to feel each other heat, the sleeves of his shirt fluttering against Kakashi's skin as the breeze blew. He hadn't said a word to Hermione, what she planned to do was madness. It stung that she would reject her chance of a new life when Tom remained behind, accepting of a quick death. Those thoughts would bring along with it guilt because she had lost her baby and for her that was everything. He would never understand that pain. He wasn't arrogant enough to pretend he could.

Their friendship had been what it used to be after his second year of Hogwarts, he had abandoned Dumbledore's ideal and that alone hurt her. She hadn't spared him a word either, he saw how guilty she herself was…yet was too proud to reach out to him. Too proud perhaps like himself.

"Yes…I come here often. I pay my respects, for all the decisions I made and continue to make…it is the least I could do." Kakashi supplied, turning to face Harry who frowned at the comment, eyes trained on the stone.

"Their deaths are not your fault," Harry muttered, he would never know that behind Kakashi's mask, the man smiled, something heavy strangely lifting form his weary soul. As he had always done, Kakashi tucked a loose strand of hair, silvery grey this time, behind Harry's ear, hand trailing along the soft skin of Harry's cheek. The man favoured him with a strange look but did not object to the touch…like he had always done.

"Her death will not be your fault either," Kakashi whispered, staring into guilt riddled jade.

"It is though. I won't stop her from crossing over to our dead world, know that the moment she sets foot there she will die!"

"Knowledge for which she is aware…in the end it is her decision." Kakashi stubbornly persisted, something strange stirring within when Harry gently pulled away from his caress.

"I have to go…Orochimaru, he…he's recruited me to help with his research. I'm to join his department…that and…he wants me to become a part of his clan." Harry seemed unsure of his own words, even as he turned to leave Kakashi in the peace he had secured for himself. Kakashi said nothing at first, Orochimaru had changed, yet in the same breath hadn't. The man longed for a family, as Harry himself did…a replacement for the mentor that sacrificed his chance of escape from Sekai no kuchiku-kan to see the wizard live perhaps.

"At the lake… you said you were only a mission. That you were Iwa scum...you started off as my mission…but then you became something more…a tentative friend where I had none." Kakashi spoke, watching as Harry hesitated in his stride, a tiny smile crossing coral lips.

"I need a guide to show me the restaurants Konoha has to offer…will you join me?" They both knew what was said and unsaid in that simple question, call him fool but Kakashi was willing to pursue this new friendship…and perhaps, one day something more. Thoughts that he didn't bother to dismiss as he observed to beautiful picture Harry painted.

"My service doesn't come cheap, Harry-chan." Kakashi teased, watching as the man bestowed him a look of mock disdain before promptly leaving to meet the snake-sanin.

"I'm staying with the Hokage, pick me up at midday and don't be late!" With that he finally left, in the distance, the tall figure of Orochimaru stood, an almost soft smile upon his face as he greeted Harry, both men already lost in the deep conversation with Ibiki trailing behind.

Kakashi could only chuckle at that, removing his Anbu mask finally as he stared steadily at Obito's name, nestled close to Minato and Rin's.

"Guys...you too Rin, I think I made a friend. He is strange and often mean. He hisses like a snake whenever he gets mad…and he's probably related to Orochimaru. I think…I think you would have liked him. I'm going to be his friend…and maybe one day, I'll become that laid back perv and my bond with Harry something more than simply friendship…you would like that I think." With one last glance at the memorial stone, Kakashi finally made his way home, the sound of rustling leaves in his ear and the muffled chatter of village folks.

His words to his precious ones were true, a tentative bond with Harry may just be what he needed to heal, from all that had ever happened in his life.


End file.
